October 26, 2008
Babylon A.D.,
Positive feedback from viewers on a trailer to the movie Prom Night with an Amharic subtitle a few months ago led to the Amharic subtitle on Babylon A.D., done with the active involvement of Samuel Zeray, an Ethiopian residing in the US.
BITANIA FIREW
Babylon After Dominion (A.D.) is a recently released science fiction fantasy thriller and adaptation movie from the 20th Century Fox Distribution. Currently on show at Matti Multiplex in Edna Mall Building, Babylon A.D., is a one hour, 30 minutes movie rated PG-13 for its intense sequences of violent action, language and some sexually implicit content.
The first-ever Hollywood production with an Amharic subtitle, Babylon A.D. may soon become a favourite for movie-goers in Addis Ababa.
It was six months back that Berhanie Woldu, managing director of Matti Multiplex, first contacted Empire Entertainment, their supplier from the 20th Century Fox Distribution, with the idea of an Amharic subtitle.
This request for a movie with a subtitle in the official language of Ethiopia was put forward during a meeting in Dubai with Kifah Ghraize, head of Empire Entertainment.
“Empire agreed to the Amharic subtitle after realizing that an average of 1,000 people a day watch movies at Matti Multiplex Movie halls,” Dawit Ambelu, manager of the Cinema, told Fortune.
Empire first produced a trailer with an Amharic subtitle for the movie Prom Night a couple of months back and feedback collected from viewers led to the Amharic subtitle on Babylon A.D., done with the active involvement of Samuel Zeray, an Ethiopian residing in the US , Dawit said.
The about 22 million dollars U.S. Box office movie should mean more than just an action movie for Ethiopians as it may introduce the unique Amharic alphabet to wherever in the world the Amharic subtitled copy of Babylon A.D. is watched.
Certainly, however, speakers of the language would get taken away by the plot structure and be able to understand and enjoy the theme of Babylon A.D. in their own language.
Samuel therefore deserves appreciation for being instrumental in the production of the first Amharic subtitled movie in Hollywood.
Nevertheless, the subtitle has a minor gender error at the beginning of the movie, where part of a conversation is translated in masculine gender when it is supposed to be feminine.
But in general, the Amharic translation matches the English dialogue. Content wise, the movie, with Vin Diesel as the main character, is mainly characterized by continuous violence and action.
“Pure violence is what the movie [Babylon A.D.] is all about,” the director, Mathieu Kassovitz’s is quoted by Yahoo News as saying.
The trip in Babylon A.D. starts with Vin Diesel acting as a mercenary who delivers a “package” from Post apocalyptic Eastern Europe (Kazakhstan) to “the promised land” – New York – while the director’s promise of it being “pure violence” is kept in the course.
Vin Diesel (Toorop) whose job it is to kill or be killed is skilled for getting people across borders. His latest charge is Melanie Thierry (Aurora) a spooky young woman who is trying to be Mother Theresa and who he calls “his package.” His specific assignment is to get her safely across the world and to Manhattan. Along for the ride is the girl’s loyal guardian, a nun in an emerging religion, who happens to be a martial arts expert played by Michelle Yeoh, known for her roles in Bad Guys and Betrayals.
The only problem is that her brilliant mother, who is paying for this trip, is not on speaking term with her father, who is a kind of cyber scientist. Eventually, their little disagreement turns out to be “a custody battle” that turns into a public spectacle.
The director, Kassavitz, who has directed well-appraised movies like The Crimson Rivers and La Haine made Babylon A.D., too chaotic to allow for appreciation. Just as soon as one grasps something, then he starts to blow something up and the movie ends leaving much to the imagination. Some people in the audience seemed uncertain as to whether or not it was time to leave the movie hall.
